[ocdwifeofsociopath]

How do you have multiple personality disorders? It seems to me that one makes up so much of your person (hence personality) that it can't be possible to have more than one.

[lizardlady]

Are you asking how a person can have multiple personality disorders (ie borderline PD and histrionic PD) or are you asking how a person develops multiple personality disorder, now called dissociative identity disorder?

[Atypical_Disaster]

If you're talking about having more than one personality disorder, yes it is possible to have more than one. I have one, but I have strong traits of a couple of others. Some people just have a lot of "issues", hahaha.

[Wren_]

hi,

I wondered the same as Lizardlady asked earlier

If you mean dissociative identity disorder some of your question is addressed in this article
What is a dissociative disorder which also explains the connection between your question and why the name was changed from multiple personality disorder to dissociative identity disorder
there are also links to other resources on Psych Central that you may like to explore - these can be found here - Psych Central: Dissociation

[ocdwifeofsociopath]

i mean having more than one disorder listed in the "personality place"

[carrie_ann]

u have more than 1 if had 2 or more peeps 2 survive as child .... u create the amount u need 2 survive ...

[Perna]

There are three "clusters" of type of personality disorder and perhaps someone is a tossup between two in the same cluster so they just give them both, as in "six of one/half dozen of another"

[ocdwifeofsociopath]

ok....I guess I think that's silly, but oh well haha

[Perna]

I think it makes some sense, one's diagnoses is made by/for the medical team and it just kind of helps orient them some, get rid of some possibilities but, unfortunately, not enough to get rid of a whole category?

Personality disorders: Symptoms - MayoClinic.com

[Atypical_Disaster]

Originally Posted by ocdwifeofsociopath

i mean having more than one disorder listed in the "personality place"

I have one but traits of two others. I also have seen people here with more than one full-blown. It happens. Why are you asking about this?

[ocdwifeofsociopath]

Just cause its confusing to me and I obsess . It seems to me a personality disorder is named "personality" because it makes up just that. Your entire personality. I guess I'm thinki of it as too black and white. But I can't see it any other way

[Luvmydog]

I don't have any answers for you, because this is a question that calls for a depth of knowledge that I do not have. However, DocJohn, the founder of this site, has a general Q&A chat on Tuesday evenings, from 9 - 10 PM Eastern Time Zone. He, in my opinion, would probably have the best answers for you.

[ocdwifeofsociopath]

I have been trying to make it to that since I joined

[HealingNSuffering]

Originally Posted by ocdwifeofsociopath

How do you have multiple personality disorders? It seems to me that one makes up so much of your person (hence personality) that it can't be possible to have more than one.

I blame a really messed up childhood with a long list of mental illnesses, trauma and adversity. Some scientists seem to think its genetic

Originally Posted by ocdwifeofsociopath

Just cause its confusing to me and I obsess . It seems to me a personality disorder is named "personality" because it makes up just that. Your entire personality. I guess I'm thinki of it as too black and white. But I can't see it any other way

Psychiatrists can't diagnose your entire personality into one disorder that's preposterous really. Even amongst people with the same personality disorder there is great diversity. We are individuals, we are not our diagnosis.

[ocdwifeofsociopath]

Ah but those who are "classic" fit it to a t. And those who don't still have enough to have made a disorder with a diagnosis. Otherwise it wouldn't be a disorder right?

[HealingNSuffering]

Originally Posted by ocdwifeofsociopath

Ah but those who are "classic" fit it to a t. And those who don't still have enough to have made a disorder with a diagnosis. Otherwise it wouldn't be a disorder right?

Even those who are a classic fit differentiate vastly in other areas of personality. Of course there is always ways to change personalities to, for example when I first learned about BPD I fit 9/9 criteria, with conscious effort that number is shrinking slowly over the years. I now only fit 7/9 criteria. I believe if the person can still function in society its not really a disorder. I also fit the DMS criteria for a bunch of other PD's as well, I'm personality disordered.

[tealBumblebee]

Originally Posted by ocdwifeofsociopath

Just cause its confusing to me and I obsess . It seems to me a personality disorder is named "personality" because it makes up just that. Your entire personality. I guess I'm thinki of it as too black and white. But I can't see it any other way

In my case, I was diagnosed with two personality disorders - Dependent and Schizotypal. Although quite opposite in nature, both T and I see this "diagnosis" as very fitting for my "personality as a whole."

The Schizotypal part of me makes me not want to get too close to people, makes me paranoid about others motives, and thrives on isolation. The Dependent part of me comes out with the people that have fought through the Schizo part and actually made the status of "friend" as well as my immediate family. I often say "I'm not in the business of making any new friends. I have enough thank you." And then when my friends incorporate an extra person in the picture, I get all freak out and jealous and protective and five year old ish because she's my friend and why are you always hanging around her? But then if me and that same friend are around each other i'm like "ok, ok, ok. I need some space. Seriously. I just need to be by myself. In the quiet. Love you but I need time alone." It's a viscous cycle, lol, and T was just like "...it must be so tiring dealing with the battle in your mind..." Thats just one example of how I qualify for "more than one" personality disorder. Hope it helps you see some of the grey in between.